30,000-square-foot research and development facility coming to Crawfordsville Commerce Park

A new research and development facility is coming to the
Crawfordsville Commerce Park. The announcement of the latest addition to
the commerce park came Friday.

AMERICAN Innovation,
LLC will begin construction this summer on a 30,000-square-foot research
and development facility to be named the AMERICAN Flow Control Center
for Innovative Excellence.

“This center will expand
our research and design functions, allowing us to fast track innovations
to get products to market more quickly,” John Hagelskamp, AMERICAN Flow
Control division sales manager, said. “We chose Crawfordsville in part
because of its easily accessible location and proximity to several major
engineering schools.”

AMERICAN
Innovation is part of AMERICAN Flow Control, which is the valve and
hydrant division of the Birmingham, Alabama-based AMERICAN Cast Iron
Pipe Company.

AMERICAN Innovation, LLC plans to invest
between $9-12 million and employ eight research and development
personnel within one year of the project completion, which is expected
to finish next spring. The facility will sit on 17 acres in the middle
of the commerce park between Concord Road and Phil Ward Boulevard.

“I
think this is a huge win and a huge step forward,” Crawfordsville Mayor
Todd Barton said. “This was the initial target for an occupant for the
park to begin with. This is right on track with where we wanted to be.
We’ve worked on this project for about a year now.”

Operations
will feature state-of-the-art equipment and technologies for enhancing
existing valve and hydrant products, as well as developing new
infrastructure related products.

“We’re thrilled
AMERICAN Innovation has selected Crawfordsville as the destination for
its new research and design center,” Elaine Bedel, president of the
Indiana Economic Development Corp., said. “With a highly-skilled
pipeline of talent coming from our renowned universities with
high-ranking engineering programs, Indiana is the ideal location for
companies like AMERICAN Innovation to locate and develop new solutions
that will propel business forward for years to come.”

The
announcement of AMERICAN Innovation’s development at the commerce park
means four lots remain at the park, including two smaller lots about two
acres each on the north end of the park.

A year ago,
Kids Count announced expansion with a new clinic at the commerce park.
Construction on the proposed 10,000-square-foot building is expected to
reach completion earlier this summer. And the Indiana Municipal Power
Agency is beginning work on a solar field at the park as well — an $8.5
million project, which includes approximately 16,200 panels on 36 1/2
acres.